Skin Cancer Correlations in Psoriatic Patients

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Psoriasis is an inflammatory disease associated with important comorbidities that shape a specific clinical frame. Concerns have been expressed in recent decades about the role of systemic inflammation in the promotion of various organ neoplasia. Moreover, psoriasis treatment is chronic, usually lifelong, and uses various classes of drugs, of which some have an intrinsic effect on the body’s cancer-control mechanisms. While in other works we studied the correlation between psoriasis, its treatment, and organ cancers, this paper is a review of available data that evaluate the connection and intricate risk of skin cancer in psoriatic patients. Good knowledge of these risks might help both the patient and the care provider to avoid the development of skin neoplasia in selected patients. ABSTRACT: Psoriasis is a common chronic, immune-mediated, inflammatory disease with associated comorbidities. Common psoriasis-associated comorbidities include psoriatic arthritis, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, inflammatory digestive syndromes, and depression. A less studied association is between psoriasis and specific-site cancers. A key cell in the pathophysiology of psoriasis is the myeloid dendritic cell, which links the innate and adaptive immune systems, and therefore is involved in the control of cancer-prevention mechanisms. The relationship between cancer and inflammation is not new, with inflammation being recognized as a key element in the development of neoplastic foci. Infection leads to the development of local chronic inflammation, which further leads to the accumulation of inflammatory cells. Various phagocytes produce reactive oxygen species that cause mutations in cellular DNA and lead to the perpetuation of cells with altered genomes. Therefore, in inflammatory sites, there will be a multiplication of cells with damaged DNA, leading to tumor cells. Over the years, scientists have tried to assess the extent to which psoriasis can increase the risk of developing skin cancer. Our aim is to review the available data and present some information that might help both the patients and the care providers in properly managing psoriatic patients to prevent skin cancer development.